Webs

3.

Sapphire's eyes snapped wide open, out of breath and mouth open in a silent scream.

Her muscles were locked tight, fingers clutching her sheets, skin covered in a cold sheen of sweat.

She did not dare close her eyes again, for fear of seeing the petrifying jade green eyes again in the darkness behind her eyelids.

Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Tha-thump.

Her heart knocked against her ribs, trying to flee from the suffocating fear in her.

It was a horrible nightmare. A whole lot more terrifying than the ones she had experienced every night for years now.

Because this time, Josh was in it.

Ever since her eyes locked with his, in that drawn out second, an unshakable chill had enveloped her body. Something was wrong, she could taste the impending doom in the atmosphere. It was unexplainable, but true.

Flashes of blood from her nightmare filled her mind, morphing into a distorted male figure and spilled brains. Echoes of indiscernible voices joined the traumatizing mix.

She sat up, hands clutching her hair, shoulders trembling. Her eyes fell to the dip of the sheets between her legs, desperately wanting to yank it off and make sure she was not bleeding but absolutely paralysed by the possibility of actually finding blood.

She would never be able to handle it.

Goosebumps rose as another chill slithered down her spine. It's just a nightmare. He's not here. He not here. She mentally chanted, frantic eyes watching the shadowy corners of the dimly lit room out of pure instinct.

She never said anything connected to him out loud. To Sapphire, saying it means making it reality. Solidifying it. She'd rather leave it in her head.

And the he in question was not Josh Hyde. He was Sapphire's personal demon. He had her mind in his merciless grip and Josh Hyde was just a constituent of her many horrendous nightmares.

A movement at the corner of her eye sent her heart thundering as her face whipped in that direction to find her flatmate standing in the half opened doorway.

Her pink hair was tied in an unruly bun at the top of her head, lithe figure in a white onesie, arms crossed and shoulder leaning against the door frame. Just like every other night I've nearly screamed the building down.

"Need a drink?" A perfect brow arched.

Sapphire tried to breathe normally. It was difficult.

"No, thanks."

It was not her first time of declining Roxana's offer. And definitely would not be her last. She could not let anyone in. Nobody.

There was an iron barricade keeping everyone out. Shutting people out. In so doing, trapping her ugly flaws within, keeping her as safe as she can be in her prison, and keeping people safe from her.

"I'm okay now." Sapphire added.

Roxana kept silent. Eerily silent.

Something started to seem off.